28.1 Accounting policy

Intangible assets are recognized if they are identifiable, controlled and it is likely that future economic benefits will be achieved, which can be ascribed to a specific assets and the purchase price or production cost of the asset can be measured reliably.

Intangible assets are measured at purchase prices or production costs less amortization charges and impairment losses.

The method used to measure the fair value of an intangible asset acquired in a business combination is presented in section 5.6.

Intangible assets include in particular: computer software, economic copyrights, licenses and concessions, as well as assets acquired in business combinations: trademarks, customer relations (including core deposit intangibles), relations with brokers, future profit from the purchased portfolio of insurance contracts, etc.

Intangible assets are amortized over their estimated economic life:

• assets other than intangible assets acquired in a business combination – using a straight-line method for the period of two to five years. In justified cases, after a case-by-case analysis, a different amortization rate may be used corresponding to the expected useful life of the intangible asset. Since a decision was made that the planned useful life of the Platforma Everest product system in PZU would be 10 years, the annual amortization rate of 10% was adopted for the system;
• intangible assets acquired in a business combination (except for the acquired trademarks) – for the period of one to fifteen years, based on the value of profits generated in the respective years;
• trademarks acquired in a business combination, as intangible assets with a useful period determined as indefinite are not amortized, but at the end of each financial year and any time there are any indications of impairment, they are tested for impairment.

Impairment

Where necessary, an impairment loss is recognized reducing the portfolio value to its recoverable amount. In the situation when an asset does not generate cash flows that would be largely independent from cash flows generated by other assets, the analysis is carried out for the smallest identifiable group of assets generating independent cash flows, to which the asset belongs. The possible impairment losses are recognized as cost in the consolidated profit and loss account under “Other operating expenses”.

If there is any indication that an impairment loss recognized in prior periods for an asset other than goodwill may no longer exist or may have decreased then the recoverable amount of such an asset is estimated. The impairment loss recognized in previous periods is reversed to the recoverable amount that does not exceed its carrying amount that would have been determined (net of amortization) had the impairment loss not previously been recognized. Reversal of an impairment loss is recognized as revenue in the in the consolidated profit and loss account under “Other operating income”.

Impairment tests for trademarks were performed as at 31 December 2021. As a result of the tests, no need has been found to recognize impairment losses. The value in use of trademarks was determined on the basis of the value of discounted cash flows from potential license fees. The value of license fees was set at 0.4–0.8% of the Pekao Group retail and corporate segment’s revenue and 1% of gross written premium of insurance companies. The discount rates were established based on the cost of capital plus specific premiums: 2 p.p. for Pekao and 1 p.p. for insurance companies. The growth rates after the forecast period of the respective CGUs were assumed at the same level as in goodwill impairment tests, as described in section 27.3.

In the case of CDIs, a significant indication of the absence of impairment is the growing net interest margin.